RCPM
This is one of the best "Indy" bands to come along in years, live shows are a must.

Done on the fly, and we have a winner!!!
This record/DVD combo just proves what Roger, PH, Steve & Nick (as well as producer Clif Norrell & unofficial 5th member Jason Boots) have at their core...pure greatness...after stepping outside their comfort zone and putting creative pressure on themselves...just to see if it could be done, success or failure...

The task...go down to Cholla Bay, Mexico, set up shop in a house, bring a portable studio...and do 8 songs in 8 days, everything from creation to arranging, recording as a band, mix and master, 1 song per day, from morning to night...and they gosh darn pulled it off!!!

I still think their prior album, "No More Beautiful World" was their best, and this is almost as great. Some cool and unexpected new directions, and it's really fresh. Here's the breakdown:

1-- "I Speak Your Language"...a cool, albeit typical, Roger pop tune, relaxing and upbeat and breezy and catchy.

2-- "State Of The Art"...really creative and complex...this gave Steve a migraine headache woking out the parts...but totally satisfying and melodic...

3-- "I Know You Know"...killer loud powerpop!!! Sorta like Tom Petty meets Cheap Trick meets AC/DC...yes really...for some reason, the chorus reminds me of "Cigarette Dangles" by Canucks ThePursuitOfHappiness...it's all good.

4-- "Summer #39"...atmospheric alt-country...with a haunting dobro slide part by Steve...done spontaneously and awesomely.

5-- "Mercy"...whatta song!!! Has a hook that hits you between the eyes, and a great, passionate vocal by Roger...one of RCPM's finest moments, easily.

6-- "I Can Drink The Water"...very cool, jammy but catchy, War-like tune, with a complex arrangement and bilingual lyrics...sounds like tough one to work out, but they did it...written on a boat on the ocean...sure sounds like it!!!

7-- "I Do"...sorta like a cousin of "I Know You Know"...loud powerpop that kicks arse!!!

8-- "Persephone"...see "Summer #39", but solo and Steve adding atmospherics.

More tunes added: 9-- "Manana"...a party tune that started as a goof in Day 5's closing video...never meant to be a song at all, until the band got requests to turn it into a song, so they did, and it's fun fun fun.

10-- "Captain Suburbia"...a holdover from NMBW that fits better here...Roger's kids sing harmony on the "Hey Now" part...a catchy tune that grew on me.

11-- "Mexicosis"...another holdover, first featured on their iTunes-only EP "Four Unlike Before"...it's a catchy but quirky ditty that grew on me as well.

Now, that's not all...along with this 11-track platter of greatness, a Jason Boots shot-and-edited DVD is included, documenting the whole "Turbo Ocho" experience, broadcast over the internet as "Vivacasts", and then some...this sucker is over 2 1/2 HOURS long!!!! Talk about value for money, and you see Roger & the guys in their element and having fun, plus interviews and some footage from their JJ's Cantina show in Rocky Point, after "Turbo Ocho" was finished.

It all cements RCPM"s greatness, period.

Experiment gone wrong
Creative people like to try new things, but the artificial deadline the band imposed on itself to create the songs on this disc resulted in songs that needed more work. That's too bad, as Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers have proven themselves to be one of the best bands going. If you are new to the band, I would suggest sampling one of their other albums first.

Exceeded my expectations
After No More Beautiful World and Americano!, I thought Roger Clyne lost his touch. Those two albums had some good, solid music to be sure, but they lacked the feeling that Sonoran Hope and Madness had. I figured they would be relegated to Good Band That I Really Can't Get Too Excited About status. I even stopped paying attention to their news feeds, and didn't even know they released a new album already, until I stumbled into a local Zia to pick up another new album and saw an ad for this one (needless to say, I ended up buying two CDs that day).

I did a little research, and gathered that this album was written and recorded (at least the first eight tracks) a song a day over eight days. I really didn't know what to expect, as I never really cared for the "reality" approach that is often used as a way to get the attention of the easily amused. Considering the way it was assembled, the direction they headed over the last few years, and the relatively small amount of time since the previous album, I didn't expect much.

After I actually popped the CD in and listened to the first track, I figured I had estimated correctly. It was weak, and remains the weakest track on the album. It takes off after that, however. The bulk of the music is actually very solid, and tends to lean more towards the rock side than some of their previous work. It has some energetic tracks (Mercy, I Do) and some interesting softer tracks (Summer Number 39, Persephone). Most importantly, this album seems to really capture the essense of RCPM on stage, which has always been one of my favorite aspects of this band.

Overall, it's a worthy effort. It's not Sonoran Hope and Madness, but it's right up there with Honky Tonk Union. Maybe there's just something in the air down there in Mexico, but it just seems to be where Roger is at his best.

Ocho is jammin
If you know Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers, Turbo Ocho will not let you down. Many of the songs have a jam session feel that is similar to Roger in concert.